Place Holder
by Tiffany Blews
Summary: Nate can't fill those cracks, cracks left by him, he just can't. tess/nate with a reference to tess/shane.


**A nice little Tess/Nate, with a slight reference to Tess/Shane.**

_Nate tries._

_He tries so hard; he tries to heal the bruises and fill the cracks. _

_But, he couldn't._

--

She's seated on the dock, her foot dangling over the edge.

Nate is hidden from view, standing beside a cabin. He contemplates going to her, but as he takes a step forward, someone else moves into the picture.

Shane strides across the pier, shifting in and out of the moonlight.

He stands behind Tess, looking down at her.

She dosen't look up, she just sighs.

"I'm sorry." Shane says, and Nate can tell he's rehearsed the line.

Tess shakes her head.

"Me too." She replies, getting to her feet.

Nate lets out a small gasp, the look on Tess's face is one he's never seen. She looks angry, murderously angry. Tess is always so composed, so in control of her emotions.

"Mitchie is nothing, Shane, nothing at all." She spits.

Nate hears the acidity in her voice, it sends shivers up his spine.

"Tess..."

"She'll never be me; she'll never get you like _that._"

Her emphasis on the word makes Nate bite his lip, like _that_?

"Don't worry, I won't mention it to her, your precious baby will never hear about that."

Nate can't see Shanes face, but he knows Shane's not relieved.

Tess leans into him, bringing her lips to his ear.

Nate can't hear her.

Tess walks away, away from Shane, leaving him stricken on the dock.

Nate scrambles back to his cabin, replaying the scene in his mind.

_She'll never get you like _that.

He imagines Shane kissing Tess, running his hands through her hair; the picture turns his stomach.

He wishes he hadn't seen that, he wants to forget all about it.

But, he can't.

It stays in his mind, keeping him up at night.

Finally, 3 sleep deprived days later, he can't take it anymore, and he creeps out of his cabin.

She's sitting on the dock, again, just like he knew she would be.

She's singing softly, her perfectly pitched voice tickles his ears.

His feet move of their own accord, leading him to her.

He walks down the long stretch of wood, until he reaches her.

He sits down beside Tess, reclining back on his hands.

She dosen't look at him.

"What're you doing out here?" He asks quietly, not wanting to disturb the stillness of 2 AM.

"I could ask you the same thing." She says.

"Well, I'm pretty simple, can't sleep. I was hoping your reason would be a little more interesting?"

She finally turns her eyes on him, and for a second he can't breathe. She's more beautiful than he had ever realized.

"What do you want, Nate?"

He can hear his heart beating in his ears, and the answer pours so honestly from his mouth.

"You." He breathes out.

His mind races.

_FUCK!_, he thinks to himself.

Tess dosen't smile, she just stares at him, sizing him up.

He almost leaves, but her eyes hold him.

Icy blue meets warm brown.

They lean toward eachother, and Nate is so nervous that he can't think.

"Nate..." She whispers, then she kisses him.

And he's never felt more amazing. He can't control his body, and he dosen't want to.

Suddenly he's on top of her, hands holding her arms above her head, lips glued to hers.

Her eyes turn a shade darker, and he knows it's on.

He kisses her neck, and all she can think about is Shane.

How Shane once did that, how Shane was much rougher.

But, Nate doesn't know this, and things progress.

They stumble into Tess's cabin, throwing clothes off frantically.

Moans echo off the walls, and breathing becomes ragged.

Nate Black makes love to Tess Tyler.

Tess Tyler fucks Nate Black.

"Shane!" She gasps, and Nate pretends he doesn't hear it.

--

**3 months later:**

Nate can't pretend anymore; it's killing him.

Tess stands in the parking lot of the recording studio, snowflakes falling around her.

She pulls her coat tighter, her intense stare fixed on him.

He feels hollow, empty.

Tess swallows, turning her eyes to the ground.

Nate knows Tess feels the same, but he's not the reason.

He closes his eyes, it doesn't feel good anymore.

She dosen't feel good anymore.

He remembers the last days of Camp Rock spent in Tess's cabin, hiding away, wrapped in blankets that smelled like sex.

He wishes he was more, he wishes he was enough.

But he's not, and he knows who is.

"Tess?" He asks, slowly opening his eyes.

"Yeah?" She answers.

"I'm not Shane." He says so softly.

And Tess hears him.

Nate walks away, away from Tess, leaving her stricken on the asphalt.

**Author Note;**

So, what'd you think?

I should be up dating my multi-chapter stories, but I've recently fallen in love with oneshots.

And Tess/Shane angst.

So... read and review.

and and and, I have a 'wizards of waverly place' fic in the works (probably Justin/Alex).

iloveyouguys


End file.
